In the United States, the half the sky that is struggling, in school at least, is disproportionately male. I welcome reader comments on this problem and how to address it.

Mr. Kristol is correct and it is time to move away from the approved list of books for students. Adults read pot boilers and yet we expect children to read from an approved list. There is not much chance of getting children to read if the adults take all the fun out of it.

I still find it so. My grandfather started me on H.G. Wells about the time I finished reading Sherlock Holmes the first time. The rest of Conan-Doyle came much later.